Color Psychology in Branding Explained [With 2025 Examples]

Color isn’t something we can pick arbitrarily. Color affects a lot more than it might seem at first glance.

In fact, when it comes to colors in branding, a misuse of color can cost you hundreds of dollars without you even realizing it.

More than 60% of companies reported that being consistent in branding added up to 20% more growth to their brand. Color psychology in branding is a big factor directly affects a brand consistency and identity.

When more than 85% of consumers are making a purchase decision based on visuals alone, it makes sense why colors are vital to success.

Understanding what each color represents and conveys to a potential customer is crucial if you want to convert more in 2025.

Below, we will explain why color psychology in branding is important and which colors you should be using for your brand on a consistent basis.

Are you trying to improve your branding but don’t know where to start? Let us help you.

What Colors in Branding Should You Care About?

There will always be colors that customers gravitate toward due to how they affect their emotions.

From a subtle emotion from your logo to a strong emotion while watching an ad, colors affect customers more than we realize.

To make your brand stand out, you need to understand the seven main colors that impact potential customers the most. Knowing this can boost your branding and marketing efforts.

Though many colors are available for branding, we are focusing on these seven. They stand out for their popularity and branding strength.

Top 7 Colors That Matter Most for Your Brand

1. Blue

In color psychology, the color blue is by far the most popular in the world. Not just for branding but in general. The color evokes a feeling of trust, dependability, and security. People also claim to feel some sort of calmness when looking at different blue hues.

This is why big healthcare companies generally use blue tones and hues.

That being said, they aren’t the only big companies using blue.

Big brands such as Facebook and Twitter (before the X change) focus on using blue for their branding.

The color isn’t only suited for big companies, though. This color works exceptionally well for brands that want to make customers trust them.

While blue has all these positive aspects to it, there are also people who perceive blue in negative ways. People don’t associate blue with food due to the lack of blue in our everyday meals.

Blue can also feel unfriendly and cold since it is generally used by healthcare companies and big corporations.

Overall, blue is one of the best colors in branding due to the positive emotions it brings. Just make sure that your industry and niche match those emotions. The last thing you want is to use a color that won’t appeal to your ideal customers.

2. Red

Red is the polar opposite of blue. Where blue aims to make you feel calm, red is meant to empower you and fill you with energy.

There is a reason why calls to action on websites tend to use bright colors such as red. They want to incentivize customers to click and follow through.

This being said, red isn’t only positive. It also has a lot of negative connotations such as anger, pain, and a feeling of danger.

When used correctly, you can use those emotions to your advantage.

Red is used in different things in our day to day lives.

From stop signs to how teachers highlight mistakes in our work.

The color is everywhere, but one thing is for certain: it evokes a strong emotion, be it good or bad.

With how polarizing the reactions to red can be, it’s vital to use the color correctly. The last thing you want is for your brand to be seen in a negative way due to a color.

A fantastic example of a popular brand that has been using red for its branding is none other than Coca-Cola. They entice people into buying their drinks by using exciting branding and a vibrant color such as red.

3. Green

Green is everywhere on our planet.

Whenever someone sees green, they think of life and nature. This is why big brands such as Whole Foods use green as their main color for their branding.

Green isn’t only tied to food brands, though.

Many popular nature brands, including John Deere and Land Rover, feature green tones. These brands want to show their attachment to the wilderness and being outdoors.

While green is generally seen as a positive color, some people might see it as something negative if used incorrectly. People can interpret green as poison or disease. This means that you have to be extra careful in how you use green in your branding.

Avoid using green on liquids unless you can instantly explain why it has that color right after.

4. Black

Nowadays, it feels like most brands are opting for a minimalistic approach to their logos and branding.

From Nike to Sony, all these brands understand the simplicity and versatility that come with using the color black (or shade, if you want to be technical about it).

While black doesn’t convey the same strong emotions as the color red does, it gives brands an air of professionalism and luxury. This is why a lot of brands have been shifting to a black logo over the past couple of years.

Despite how versatile the color black is, it doesn’t always translate that well to different industries.

While black and minimalistic logos work well for a tech brand or a fashion brand, they don’t do well for brands in industries like healthcare due to their association with death.

Overall, black is an easy pick in this list of branding colors, and we would highly recommend it to any brand looking to simplify its branding without going overboard.

A good example of a brand that uses a black logo is none other than Nike. They have been using the all-black swoosh logo for more than a decade.

Red conveys empowerment and strength.

However, black highlights the brand’s elegance. They show that it’s a lifestyle and not just a brand.

5. White

How can we talk about black color branding without talking about white color branding right after?

White color branding is very similar to black color branding due to both trying to achieve a minimalistic look.

White evokes a sense of cleanliness and innocence that is hard to replicate with any other color on this list. That being said, if not used correctly, white can come across as generic and boring to people. Your brand needs something that helps it stand out if you want your white color branding to pop.

Without any context and with little thought put into your branding, white can be the most useless and least appealing color on this list as well. We would only recommend that brands use white if they know how to work with other colors and hues.

6. Purple

For ages, the color purple has been instantly related to royalty and superiority. These roots and associations make people see purple as a color that evokes wealth, wisdom, and sophistication.

Brands use this color to signal their superior quality of both products and services to their potential customers.

Purple can also be a double-edged sword if not careful, though. People can see purple as a color that suppresses a population and represents excess.

There are several brands that use the color purple really well, such as Twitch. They associate their whole branding with purple. Both in their logo and website, you’ll find the color purple everywhere. Twitch strives to provide people with a superior streaming experience, so the color suits them perfectly.

Are you going through a rebranding checklist only to find out how much work it actually takes? Don’t worry; we can do all the heavy lifting.

7. Orange 

Orange is all about confidence, being courageous, and extroverted. It’s seen as a charismatic and fun color used by brands that want to bring in positive emotions that aren’t as strong or explosive as red.

That being said, it can be a difficult color to work with due to how polar opposite someone can see the color.

With more than 29% of people ranking it as their least favorite color, it’s easy to see why a bad use of it would cost your potential clients in the long run.

People who see the color negatively can view the brand as immature, ignorant, and even frustrating at times. This can be true for some brands that are known for their immature branding, such as Cheetos. Yet we also have a timeless brand as Hermès using orange for their branding.

What differentiates them? The shades and tones of orange.

Cheetos uses a bright, bold orange.

In contrast, Hermès opts for earthy orange tones. These tones enhance the color and add sophistication.

A different shade, tint, or tone can change how potential customers see a color. This is a perfect example.

Bring Your Brand to Life with Blacksmith

Now that you know the power of color psychology in branding, you understand what emotions each popular color can evoke in people. This directly helps your brand if you know how to take advantage of each color.

But knowing the colors is only the first step. Knowing how to implement them correctly into your brand without it backfiring is the difficult part.

Don’t worry, here at Blacksmith, we pride ourselves on our knowledge of everything branding-related. From colors in branding to modern strategies, we ensure that you get the best branding possible.

As a branding agency, we’ll provide a team of brand designers ready to create a proper strategy for your company. No cutting corners or delivering half-baked branding. Your brand deserves the best, and we will provide that and more for you.

Still on the fence about it? Click this link so we can talk about your brand and how much work it needs to look its best.